Adjustable door brace



June 1, 1937. P. w. LEFFLAND 2,082,012,

ADJUSTABLE DOOR BRACE Filed Feb. s, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /5 7. 54 Pwz June 1, 1937. I

ADJUSTABLE DOOR BRACE P. W. LEFFLAND Filed Feb, 5, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

Patented June 1, 1937 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE- ADJUSTABLE DOOR BRACE Paul W. Leflland, Dallas, 'Tex. Application February 3, 1933, Serial No. 655,012

15 Claims;

to the weight and the usage of the door and due to the added weight of the said grille upon the door.

10 Previous attempts to solve the problem of door grilles by the use of grilles designed primarily for their ornamental andproteotive features have been unsatisfactory due to the fact that the added weight of the grille upon the door has in- 15 creased the amount of sag in the saiddoor and in, numerous cases rendered the door inoperative.

In accordance with the present invention, I have designed a door grille which is an ornamental 20 grille, a protective grille and a non-sag grille and which will overcome the above noted disadvantage and which may be conveniently and expediously applied to any screen door of standard type.

A further object of the invention is to provide the said non-sag feature in such a manner that it may be embodied into the design of the grille. It may be noted that the design of the grille is of great importance inasmuch as the main entrance 30 doors of the home are those primarily provided with protective grilles.

A further. object of the invention is to provide a grille which is the same upon either face in order that it may be applied and the non-sag feature used in connection with either a right hand swing door or a left hand swing door.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a grille of the character described, which will be simple, practical construction, durable and efficient in use, and well suited to the requirements of economical manufacture.

With the above noted and other objects in view,

the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrange- 45 set forth and pointed out in the claims. The invention may be more fully understood from the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively, are views in elevation of screen doors showing some of my various designs of adjustable grilles attached which embody the feature of my new non-sag means.

Figure 6 is an enlarged view in elevation showments of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter I ing my preferred construction and anchorage of my non-sag element to the door.

Figure '7 is an enlarged view of a portion of v Fig -urel.

Figure 8 is a section taken upon line 9-9 of Figure '7. Figure 9 is an Figure 5.

Figure 10 is a section taken upon line I2I2 of Figure 9.

Referring to the drawings in detail, F gure 1 shows a detail of a simple form of my grille embodying my new invention. reference numeral I to indicate a screen door, and the numeral II to designate a grille atenlarged view of a portion of tached thereto and serving as a protection for the screen cloth I2. I use I3 to indicate hinges upon which the said door swings, while I4 indi-.

cates my diagonal non-sag element embodied into the design of the said grille and designed to hold the said door Ill from sagging. Included in I4 I have placed the adjustment means I5 in order to vary the tension of It between the fastening points I! when required by the condition of the said door I0, substantially as shown. The numeral I6 indicates a construction at the contact point of I4 with the door stile, shown more in detail in Figure 6. The said construction at this contact point is primarily intended to render I4 taut between its fastening points II, however 'the loose end of the scroll as shown may be drawn in or out as required. The sharp bend I6 is of course designed to allow for this while the screw I'I directly against I6 is designed'to be tightly drawn up. The adjustment means for the element I4 as indicated by I5 I show as the turnbuckle type in which I employ an ornamental threaded turnbuckle with threaded rods 24 and turning slots 22. This is, of course, a simple means of adjustment however other means of adjustment may be employed of course without departing from the spirit of the invention. The numeral 20 indicates means for another adjustment between I4 and I5 which would be desirable after a great amount of slack had been taken up by use of the adjustment I5 and a reset may be desired. This is of course best accomplished by blocking up a corner of the said door for the purpose. tying the said 14. to the grille proper in close proximity to I5 in order to hold I4 from turning when I5 is being turned. The numeral I8 indicates pivotal adjustment points used in 'varying the size of the grille to fit various openings. The numeral I9 shows pivotal adjustment means The numeral 2I indicates means for.

I have used the at the center of the grille. This is illustrated in detail in Figures '1 and 8.

While the description above is given for Figure 1 it likewise applies to Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 wherein like numerals of reference such as Ila, lib, lie and lid indicate a grille in the same manner that ll indicates a grille in Figure l.

The five designs of grilles as shown in the drawings are taken as modifications of designs which may be app ied in my invention, however in Figure 4 I show modifications of grilles in other forms than in design only. For instance the Figures 1.2, 3 and 5 respectively show various types of scroll constructed grilles while Figure 4 shows a modification in which the grille proper is of woven mesh construction.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3 of the scroll constructed grille the numeral of reference 23 (not applying to Figure 1) indicates a slip collar for the slip movement of the member within the said collar as shown.

' Referring to Figures 3, 4 and 5 the numeral 18 indicates another type of grille size adjustment means than that indicated for Figures 1 and 2 and described as pivotal. In this modified grille size adjustment the scroll member lab; 18c and 18d is designed to be manually sprung to flt various sizes of doors;

Referring to Figures 9 and 10 I have shown a modified adjustment means l5d for the adjustment of said elements Md. In this modification it is of course the intention to make the adjustment means symmetrical. Consequently, I employ the crossing members 25 fastened together by the means 26 and designed to allow for the pivotal and other operation of lid thru said 25 as at 21.

In Figure 9 I show lld as a modification of H in that I employ a plurality of members combined to form said Md.

Referring to the resetting means 20 indicated in Figure 1 and shown in detail in Figure '7 the threaded rod 24 is shown beveled at 20 and is preferably squared at this end while the element 14 is of course punched-at 20 to receive said beveled and squared end. Figure 1 and the other designs shown may appiyi When the grille has been applied to a door having an exceptional amount of sag the adjustment means I5 is of course employed to square up the door after which the door may be blocked up and i5 loosened and a reset made at 20 as desired. The slack maythen be taken up by means of i5 as required to leave the grille design in proper ,form or configuration, In Figure 9 however I have shown 20d modified in which a removable pin maybe inserted at 30 to hold 24d; from turning substantially as does the squared end method employed and shown.

The resetting means however may be omitted if desired for economic reasons.

My new grille will be of course preferably constructed alike on either side and also have the holes for fastening as .16 in the center of the several grille members in order that the grille may be applied in either right hand or left hand swing doors.

It may be noted that the adjustment furnished by the means 15 will be required from time to time inasmuch as the entrance screen door is usually exposed to the action of various weather conditions and this in conjunction with the great amount of usage to which the average entrance screen door is subjected naturally will require adjustments against sagging.

It may be noted that the structure has broader uses than the specific embodiment of a grille in a screen door. For instance it in other types of doors.

Obviously, various changes and alterations might be made in the general form and arrange- 'ment of the parts described without departing from the invention. Hence I do .not wish to maybeusedright angles by a plurality of like bands; pivotal I engagements between the said bands at the points where they cross, to form an expansible grille; one transverse band to have means near its ends for firmly attaching it to the door, said band to be bent in a sharp angle at each point of attachment to the door; and the free ends of said band, beyond its point of attachment to the door, re-

turned in loose scrolls to form ornamental protection to the door.

2. A door brace comprising a plurality of spaced metallic bands, crossed at substantially right angles by a plurality of like bands; pivotal engagements between the said bands at the points where they cross, to form an expansible grille; one

transverse band to have means near its ends for firmly attaching it to the door, said band to be bent in asharp angle at each point of attachment to the door; the free ends of said band, beyond its point of attachment to the door, returned in loose scrolls to form ornamental protection to the door; and means within said band for contracting and shortening the same so that the door may be supported and braced.

3. A door brace comprising a plurality of spaced metallic bands, crossed at substantially right angles by a plurality of like bands, pivotal engagements between the said bands at the points where they cross, to ,form an expansible grille; means near the ends of said bands for firmly attaching them to the stiles and cross rails of a door; and free ends of said bands, beyond the points of attachment to the door, returned in loose scrolls to ornament and protect the door.

4. A door brace comprising a plurality of spaced metallic bands, crossed at substantially right angles by a plurality of like bands; pivotal engagements between the said bands at the points where they cross, to form an expansible grille; means near the ends of said bands for firmly attaching them to the stiles and cross rails of a door; and a turn-buckle within one band, replacing a segment removed therefrom, so that by operating the turn-buckle the said band may be shortened near the ends of said bands for firmly attaching them to the stiles and cross rails of a door; a turn-buckle within one band, replacing a segment removed therefrom, so that by operating the turn-buckle the said band may be shortened to brace the door; slots within the bandto which the turn-buckle is attached, said slots being so aosao ie disposed that one slot is on one side the tumbuckle and another slot on the other side the tum-buckle; and a substantially circular band, passing through said slots, being firmly afllxed to a band disposed at substantially right angles to the turn-buckle band, whereby the turn-buckle band may be guided and kept in place.

6. In a screen door brace, a plurality of diagonally disposed straps, spaced in substantially parallel relation, a plurality of like straps, crossing the first named straps at substantially right angles; means for effecting pivotal engagements between the straps at the points where they cross one another; one of said first named plurality of straps having a plurality of slots within its body,

and having a turn-buckle within its body, so that the said strap may be shortened or lengthened; one of the second named plurality of straps hav-' ing within its body a substantially circular section, said circular section made to pass freely through the said slots; means for attaching all of the aforesaid straps, near their ends, with the side and cross members oil a screen door, whereby, upon operation of the turn-buckle, the unhinged side of the door may be supported, and the screen wire protected.

7. In a screen door brace, a plurality of metallic rods spaced in substantially parallel relation,

a plurality of like rods crossing the first named rods, and means for effecting pivotal engagements between the rods at their crossing points; contracting means within one rod so that its length may be decreased; and guiding means within a rod crossing the contracting rod, so that said guiding means will prevent any substantial deflection of the contracting rod from the general vertical plane of the brace.

8. In a door brace, a plurality of spaced metallic bands, crossed at substantially right angles by a plurality of like bands; pivotal engagements between the said bands at the points where they cross, to form an expansible grille; means near the endsof said bands for firmly attaching them to the stiles and cross rails of a door; and contracting means within one band, whereby the said band may be shortened to brace the door.

9. In a door brace, a plurality of spaced metallic bands, crossed at substantially right angles by a plurality of like bands, pivotal engagements between the said bands at the points where they cross, to form an expansible grille; means near the ends of said bands for firmly attaching them to the stiles and cross rails of a door; contracting means within one band, whereby the said band may be shortened to brace the door; and guiding means within one band which crosses the contracting band, whereby the latter may be guided and held in place.

10. In a door brace, a plurality of spaced metallic bands, crossed at substantially right angles by a plurality of like bands; pivotal engagements between the said bands at the points where they cross, to form an expansible grille; means near the ends of said bands for firmly attaching them to the stiles and cross rails of a door; free ends named band whereby it may be shortened to support and brace the door.

12. In a door brace, a plurality of spaced, flexible metallic bands disposed within a single plane; means near the ends of said bands for connecting the bands with one another to form an expansible grille; means near the ends of one of said bands for firmly attaching it to a door; contracting means within said last named band whereby it may be shortened to support and brace the door; flexible metallic scrolls disposed within the plane of said grille and on alternate sides thereof; means whereby said scrolls may be connected to the door and to the grille to support the latter.

13. In a door brace, two diagonally disposed metallic rods crossing one another at substan tially right angles; means near the ends of each of said rods for firmly afllxing them to a door; contracting means within one of said rods whereby it may be shortened to support and brace the door; a rectangular metallic frame disposed substantially within the plane of said crossed rods; means near each of the corners of said frame for attachment to the said rods, whereby the frame may be supported on the rods; and protective wire netting covering said metallic frame.

14. In a door brace, two diagonally disposed metallic rods crossing one another at substantially right angles; means near the ends of each or said rods for firmly afllxing them to a door; contracting means within one of said rods whereby it may be shortened to support and brace the door; a rectangular metallic frame disposed substantially within the plane of said crossed rods;

means near each of the corners of said frame for attachment to the said rods, whereby the frame may be supported on the rods; protective wire netting covering said metallic frame; and ornamental wire scrolls disposed about and attached to the periphery of said frame to ornament and protect the door.

15. In a door brace, a plurality oi flexible, ornamental, metallic scrolls disposed within a single plane or substantially rectangular design to form a grille; means for firmly attaching said scrolls at points near their outer extremities to the door; a plurality of metallic rods. each connecting to two of said scrolls oppositely disposed to one another; contracting means within one of said rods whereby the distance between the scrolls connected by said rods may be shortened to support and brace the door.

PAUL W. LEFFLAND. 

